Katra, April 23: Following the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Northern Railway on Wednesday introduced a special unreserved train from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi (SMVD) Katra to New Delhi to facilitate stranded travelers and manage increased passenger flow.
“Train number 04612 will depart from SMVD Katra at 9:20 p.m. on Wednesday,” said Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, chief public relations officer of Northern Railway. “It will halt briefly at Udhampur (Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan station) from 9:48 to 9:50 p.m., and at Jammu Tawi from 11:00 to 11:05 p.m., before reaching New Delhi at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.”
Upadhyay said the special train comprises 20 coaches, including seven general compartments, eight sleeper coaches, two third AC coaches, one third AC economy coach, and two luggage-cum-brake vans. “Tourists stranded in Kashmir and Jammu can board this train. If necessary, additional trains will be arranged to ease the load,” he added.
Tickets for the special service will be available over the counter at Katra, Udhampur, and Jammu stations.
Meanwhile, one-way traffic resumed on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway at Ramban after the route was partially cleared.
“The affected stretch has been restored for single-lane movement,” said Parshotam Kumar Sharma, project director with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). “Stranded vehicles are now being allowed to pass.”
The measures aim to assist tourists and travelers stuck across the region in the wake of heightened security and disrupted routes following the attack.
